Thread protector



April 12,1932. E 1,853,945

THREAD PROTECTOR Filed Sept. 9, 1930 F795 Fig 4 gmwnto'c Herman A. Unke I Patented Apr. 12, 1932 UNHTED STATES HERMAN A. 11mm, 01 CLEVELAND, oHIo Application filed September 9, 1930. Serial no. 456,743.

In my aforesaid patent, I have shown and described a thread protector that is very low in cost and which is adapted .to be readily placedin position over the threads and is not likely tobecome displaced while the pipe is being handled.

It is a primary object of the presentinvention to provide a thread protector which is vsomewhat similar to the protector shown in the aforesaid patent, but which is so formed that it may be made of lighter gauge sheet metal, more easily forced to its proper position over the threads and more easily'removed from the pipe or other threaded product than said protector. g

Other objects of the invention and the features of novelty will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is an elevation of the end of a piece .of pipe on which is shown one form of thread protector, embodying my invent-ion, the protector being shown in section on line 11 of Fig. 2; r r I Fig. 2 is an elevation of the left hand end of the protector shownin Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an axial section through the pro-' tee-tor, and

Fig. 4 is a portion of Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale. Referring now to the drawings in detail, the thread protector comprises a cup shaped sleeve 33, the internal diameter of which is slightly larger than theexternal diameter of the threads, and one end of which is slightly flattened at a plurality of points, as shown-at 34:, 35 and 36 in Fig. 2. While I have shown I in the drawings a protector having three such flattened portions, it will be understood that the sleeve may be formed with any desired number of flattened portions. The flattened portions 34, 35 and 36 are provided with intransit. 1

wardly projecting liigseflwhich are a hi 7 angular cross-section and have a gently sloping side 37a and a vertical side 37b,* hieh meet at an edge 370. The protector is-further provided with an outwardly flaring, mouth '38, which facilitates positioningv the protector on the pipe,and with an end flange j 39, which engages. the end 'ofthe pipe.

.When the sleeve is forced over the threads, 7

threads of. the pipe, while the vertical sides j 37 b ofthe lugs prevent the protector from being pulled off of the pipe by straight axial movement, but permits it tobe readily un screwed therefrom.

While the flattened end of the sleeve and theflange 39 do not make tight joints with the pipe, these connections. are sufficiently tlght to permit this form -of protector. to be ,used for protecting the threads in such coating operations as galvanizing. A slight amount of the galvanizing material will work into the space between the threads and the protector, but experience has shownthat the amount of the coating material that adheres V to the threads -isrelatively small, but issuflicient to prevent rusting during the time that the pipe is normally held in storage, or is'in As shown in my aforesaid patent, the sleeve of the protector is provided with a continuous bead of substantially semi-circular cross- 'section. This be-ad' makes the sleeve of the protector relatively rigid and inflexible, with the result that anundue amount of force must be exerted to push the protector tojits "proper position over the threads, or to re .move it from the pipe by either'straight axial movement or by unscrewing it therefrom. The absence of the continuous bead and the novel lug construction makes the sleeve ofthe present thread protector much more flexible than that of the protector described in the aforesaid patent, and therefore permits it to be more easily forced to its proper position over the threads and more readily unscrewed from the pipe than said protector.

While I have shown and described the preferred form of my invention, it will, of course, be understood thatI do not regard my invention as limited to the particular embodiment disclosed, since various changes 19 may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Claims 1. In combination; with a threaded element, a thread protector comprising a metal sleeve having at one end thereof an end wall engaging the end of the threaded element, the other end of said sleevevhaving spaced portions which are pressed radially inwardly, said spaced portions only being provided with inwardly projecting lugs for engaging the threads of said element.

2. combination as set forth in claim 1, inwhich the lugs are of substantially triangular crossseotion. i

3, A protector for threaded elements comprising a. metal sleeve having a laterally extending wall portion at one end thereof, the other end of said sleeve having spaced portions which are pressed radially inwardly, said spaced portions only being provided Withinwardly projecting lugs for engagementwith the threads of said element.

4.- A protector as defined in claim 3, in which the lugs are of substantially triangular cross-section.

5. A protector for a threaded element, comprising a metal sleeve having a laterally extending wall portion at one end thereof, and at its other end said sleeve having spaced radially flexible inwardly pressed portions, said spaced portions only being provided with inwardly projecting lugs for engagement with the threads of said element.

6.- A protector as defined in claim 5, in which the lugs are of substantially triangular cross-section. l

7. A protector for a threaded element, comprising a metal sleeve having means at one end thereof for engagement with the end of said element, and at its other endspaced portions lying at a shorter radial distance from the axis of said sleeve than the portions of said end intermediate said spaced portions, said spaced portions only having inwardly projecting lugs.

8. A protector as defined in claim 7, in which the lugs are of substantially triangular cross-section.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HERMAN A. UNKE. 

